This dish is great served with my Lamb Tagine and Cucumber Raita also on this site.
Wonderful! Sure to impress your guests at a dinner party - looks quite impressive once served. Don't omit the chopped mint, it is the perfect finishing touch to this couscous! Great melange of flavors, textures and colors. The exotic combination of spices is a true feast for the sophisticated palate. This was a huge hit with my boyfriend (a very picky eater) and my best friend loved this too and she once lived in Morocco! A success!
Read MoreWe didn't care for this. We liked the spices used but the flavor of orange was too strong and the vegetables could be cooked longer before adding the couscous, but that could just be personal preference.
Read MoreWonderful! Sure to impress your guests at a dinner party - looks quite impressive once served. Don't omit the chopped mint, it is the perfect finishing touch to this couscous! Great melange of flavors, textures and colors. The exotic combination of spices is a true feast for the sophisticated palate. This was a huge hit with my boyfriend (a very picky eater) and my best friend loved this too and she once lived in Morocco! A success!
This was very good with the rest of the moroccan dinner I was serving - it went over very well. If you happen to be able to get your hands on ras al hanout season blend, you don't have to worry around with all the different spices - just use a tablespoon of that, and then add the ginger. Places like Cost Plus carry it really cheap!
This dish is delicious and very quick to prepare. I am vegetarian so I replaced the chicken broth by adding the juice drained from the garbanzos to enough water to make 1 1/2 cups liquid and adding some vegetarian chicken style seasoning. I also added 1 tsp. curry powder, 1/8 tsp. garlic and increase the allspice to 1/2 tsp. since I did not have the cardamom or coriander on hand. Instead of orange juice, I use water with 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon or lime juice and leave out the orange zest. I did not think I would like the raisins in this, but they added a nice bit of sweetness and blend nicely with the flavors of the recipe.
Im only a teen and i cooked this up for my family. It was absolutely delicious and everyone was very impressed.It has a spicy, unique flavour to it which made it so addicting. Thanks for the recipe!
Very good recipe. Next time I would decrease the broth and couscous to 1 cup each, though - i thought there was a little too much of the couscous compared to the veggies.
We didn't care for this. We liked the spices used but the flavor of orange was too strong and the vegetables could be cooked longer before adding the couscous, but that could just be personal preference.
This was a great, flavorful dish! I didn't have allspice or cardomon, and I substituted a videlia onion for a red onion, but it was still delicious and pretty easy to make! Make sure you add the fresh mint for extra flavor. It made a huge difference! Enjoy!
I LOVED this, but my boyfriend didn't care for the orange. I thought all the flavors blended perfectly and were surprisingly subtle. I loved the contrasting textures of the creamy garbanzos and the crisp veggies, plus the occasional sweet bite of raisin. I used fresh ginger (which I added with the beans) and vegetable broth, and I caramelized the onions (after toasting the spices, I removed them and then added them back in with the peppers and zucchini). This is definitely a keeper for me as is, but I'll try it with 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, a bit of honey, and some lemon zest, and I'll adjust the broth accordingly and see if my boyfriend likes it that way (although I don't think the lemon will go as well with the flavors of the spices).
I made this almost to the letter, just skipping a couple of spices and the OJ due to not having them on hand, and I used bulgur instead of couscous. Still absolutely delicious! I would make this again in a heartbeat, and am sure it's even better with the missing spices and OJ. Thanks for a fabulous lunch!
Outstanding!!! I spoon it right on top of lettuce and it makes a yummy and very filling salad!!!
I was searching a new couscous dish and when I saw this recipe, I knew it was the one I was looking for. Loved this. Didn't change a thing (except for halfing it). After enjoying this delicious dish I will definitely be trying the other suggested accompanying dishes soon.
You might want to let the zucchini soften more before adding the couscous. If you do let it cook some more, it would be wise to add some more broth. I love this. The kids in my family found it a little too weird for their taste. The adults, however, gobbled it up.
This dish was delicious! I served it to company and they all loved it. I would make it again. Very fresh tasting.
I have made this recipe twice in two days. This recipe is easy and delish ! The secound time I used quinoa instead of couscous and lime juice instead of orange juice. This recipe is one that you can really play with. Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe, although for my own taste I did find the orange to be a little too much. If I was to make again, I think I would replace the orange juice with more stock. Thank you for sharing
Wow, this is wonderful! I found a Moroccan pork recipe and need a side dish. This was it. So flavorful and tasty. I loved the orange zest and used regular raisins. Yum, yum, yum! Next time I will add some heat like red pepper flakes as we like things with a little kick. Just as it is it is a five star plus!
This recipe is delicious and tastes a lot like I remember the couscous I ate in Morocco tasting. I substituted carrots for the peppers.
I followed the directions exactly and this dish was soooooooo delectable that I am going to make it for our monthly friends/family gathering because it would be sinful for me not to share this yummy-liciousness with EVERYONE I know! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!! And the Lamb Tagine was just as scrumptious!
This is a very good recipe. We made it exactly as specified. I would only suggest to use Israeli (pearl) couscous. Sometimes it takes a bit of searching but the trouble is well worthwhile.
A delicious and filling lunch, I enjoyed every bite of this. I only left out the orange zest and cardamom (didn't have those items) and since I'm vegetarian I used veggie broth, but other than that I stuck w/the recipe. Great orange flavor that complements the spices well. This would be great for a dinner party. Thanks for sharing!
Very good. With the beans and couscous combined, you have a complete protein. My husband said not to overdo the mint. We both really liked this...
OMG this is so tasty! Next time I'm going to exchange whole spices for some of the ground.
This was really good. We'll have this again. It wasnt too difficult either. Its good with caramilized onions on top as well.
I highly advise that the clove be omitted. It overpowered the whole dish and was not tasty. I must admit I did make substitutes due to not having all the ingredients. However, the clove must go! Also, less orange juice between that and the clove it was too fruity and zingy.
Been looking for a right recipe for some picky guests and this is the answer. Didn't use any garbanzo but turned out well. Guests praised a lot. Thank you for the recipe.
I love the complexity of flavors. My only complaint was that it was kind of dry so I added about 1 T chicken broth after it was all put together.
Fabulous, although I made a few changes. I substituted mushrooms for zucchini. Also, I'm not a big orange fan, so I omitted the zest (big time saver, too) and only used 1/2 of the recommended juice. I might try the full juice recommendation in the future. It was wonderful. I will mention that it is better the day of cooking, even to the next, but don't let this go more than 2 days in the fridge--the chickpeas & couscous dry out. BUT, I doubt it will make it that long anyway! I ate with the Cucumber Raita by the same author.
Excellent on its own, and even better as an accompaniment to the lamb tagine! A few adjustments from my kitchen: I was out of cardamom, so instead I doubled the ginger. I left out the garbanzo beans because A) I didn't have any and B) I was pairing this with a meat dish. If I prepare it again as a vegetarian supper I will add the beans in. I used dark raisins rather than golden because that was what I had on hand. Based on other reviews I lowered the stock and couscous to 1 cup each to balance the couscous-vege ratio. Finally, instead of the orange zest/juice I zested 2 lemons and added 1/4 cup of lemon juice to pair with the lemon in the tagine. Very healthy, very tasty, very sweet, very much worth my time to make again!
Excellent, but I'd recommend you serve this with something blander than the delicious lamb tangine as suggested. Both have such great flavors, they're wasted on each other.
This was fantastic!! The spices were wonderful but don't forget the mint at the end! The mint blends everything together nicely and takes the edge off the strong cloves flavor. Didn't have cardamom and added garlic. Definitely making again thanks!
I made this as a side dish for the suggested Lamb Tagine (also 5-star) to go along with the Cucumber Raita (I simply don't care for plain yogurt). It was excellent as-is. A great meal if you are looking for tasty lamb!
This was really good, I would add maybe a little more spice and next time I'll use Israeli Couscous. (I used whole wheat)
Sumptuous! I got home from work and was keen to make a special dinner ...this served up just that....I definited saved this one and will recommend it.
I was only able to find Israeli couscous and it was fabulous!! I will make it again with the larger, Israeli variety. Great texture. You just need to follow the box directions and simmer, covered for 12 minutes once you add the liquid. All other ingredients/measurements the same. It got RAVE reviews.
Lovely recipe! I had to make numerous substitutions because of what I had (or didn't have) on hand, still turned out very well. Looking forward to trying the recipe 'as is' next time!
Served this with the Lamb L'Arabique and Moroccan Couscous. I thought this was a great blend of spices and just enough couscous to vegetable blend. The fresh squeezed orange juice and zest did not overwhelm the flavors at all. I did add an extra 1/2 cup of broth (just prior to adding the couscous) and covered the pan with a lid for an additional 5 minutes to get the zucchini softened, then I added the couscous. I had the mint chopped and ready to go in and forgot it! Still really liked the recipe, so if you don't like mint, leave it out. I'll try it again today with the mint in this time.
4 stars as a stand alone dish. Definitely 5 stars when served with Lamb Tagine and Cucumber Raita with pita bread. Next time I would decrease the servings by half because this made a lot if couscous.
This was truly amazing. I left out the bell pepper cuz bf doesn't like, didn't have zucchini, garbanzo beans, or mint, allspice, or coriander, so left those out as well. Used yellow onion instead of red. Even with all of these changes, the end result was still incredible. So flavorful yet light. I absolutely loved it. I will be making this again! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
This recipe is very flavorful and is a wonderful side dish to any middle eastern or Moroccan style dinner! It has a fairly strong orange flavor which accompanies the spices well. It also has a good serving of veggies- always a plus!
Nice! Mix up the spices ahead of time for a smoother dinner prep. i liked it a lot more than my husband, but I'll still make it again. He can pick around the raisins
I made this exactly expect I omitted the clove per another reviewer. Really a good base of spices and you can adds lots of veggies. Great!
We really liked this. We made it together with the "Moroccan pork" on this site, and the sauce from that recipe on this couscous made it a home run. otherwise, it could have used a bit more flavor and moisture. I would also add some extra raisins next time.
I made this 2 weeks in a row. The first time was followed exact, which was really good but took a long time to prepare. The second time I had a variety of leftover grilled veggies in the fridge (zucchini, peppers, onions, eggplant, portabella mushrooms) so I cut those into smaller pieces and just tossed them In there instead of using fresh veggies and beans. I also omitted the orange juice (replaced with chicken broth) and zest. Honestly the results were pretty much the same and took half the time. The spice mixture in this recipe is very pleasant.
delicious , did not add the raisins . i don't like fruit or nuts in my food (unless it's 1 of 3 or 4 ingredients) used dried mint ( no fresh in 4 stores i went to )
This is excellent served with Lisa's Lamb Tagine. I didn't have a zucchini, but it was deicious just the same.
Great dish! I was a bit overwhelmed over the ingredients list, however they all pulled together and worked really well with a spice rubbed pork tenderloin I was making. This is definitely in the rotation.
What an amazing dish! We loved the combination of sweet and spices! The sweet orange and raisin mixed with savory was delicious! Totally going to make this again! I did cut the cumin in half since I'm not as fond of it.
Overall tasty dish that's relatively easy to make. Sweet and sour flavors work well.
My family and I are not accustomed to Moroccan on food. The veggie mix and seasonings were great. The texture of the couscous wan not a huge hit. I may have put too much? I’ll try it again sometime.
So good! Even if you are missing some of the ingredients, you can make it your own with what you have on hand.
A keeper! I used half the seasonings, because I also made the Lamb Tagine which itself had plenty of seasonings! Very yummy!
I thought this was really good, though based on other reviews and because I don't like an overpowering taste of citrus, I decided to only use the juice from 1 orange and then half an orange worth of zest.
Have made this several times. Very versatile recipe, with the taste of Morrocco! I only use 1/2 the orange zest and no OJ -- I marinated chicken thighs in the rest of the zest and OJ and 2 t. Raj al Hanouj spice mix for 3 hrs, baked and served with this dish. The addition of cardamom and mint are true Morroccan flavors, but it's delicious even without them! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful!!! This was so easy and full of so many colors and flavors. I didn't have all of the spices, so I just used cumin, cayenne, ginger, and allspice. I'm sure it would be even better with the other spices but this was still awesome.
Awesome Couscous! A very nice blend of different tastes and textures. I am watching my sodium so I used low sodium, no MSG chicken broth and didn't put much salt at all. I also halved the zucchinis a number of times (3 or 4) lenghtwise before chopping across. On my first batch (yesterday) my hubby liked it and a co-worker tasted it today and asked for the recipe. Thank you!
I used chicken broth in place of the water. I gave this a 3 rating as I found it very dry. I added about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and that helped a bit. I cut the basil in half as I too felt 1 c would be too much. Next time I will add about 3-4 tablespoons of oil before it goes into the oven.
Something different and a very tasty as side dish. We had it with chicken kabobs and it was delicious.
this is the type of dish you make more than once. it tastes fantastic, and you feel good eating it because you know it's a healthy choice. to all the notive cooks like myself out there, I have one tip- do NOT burn the spices at rhe beginning. if you do, start over. seems obvious, but I made this mistake once, not only is the taste not right, but the spice takes on a gritty texture in your mouth.. yikes!
It was great! It was very easy to make & the flavors blend in perfectly. I made it for my family & everyone really liked it. Personally I loved it, & I'll make it again :) Thanks for this recipe!
This came out delicious, and I even had to change a few things due to lacking ingredients. I did not have zucchini, but I had an orange bell pepper which was great. I also only had regular raisins, and they came out well. I added a dash of balsamic vinegar as another reviewer suggested and I used pearl couscous instead of the small kind. I might do a little less cayenne next time as it was not unpleasantly spicy, but it was spicy enough to make our noses run! I baked up some white fish, broke it up in pieces and mixed it in to make a lovely meal. :-)
Fantastic recipe! I had it with the lamb tangine and it was a perfect match! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
My friend made this the other day and forced me to try it. I have to say it was pretty good. Since then she's had me try some other Moroccan dishes. Turns out, I like Moroccan food. With this recipe I do have to agree, the taste of orange is pretty overpowering. If it were me, I'd use 1/4 cup of the orange juice and just a tad more chicken broth and salt to try and even the flavor out. Other than that, very delicious.
I didn't have coriander. Wow, this is the best flavour ever. So tasty. I asked used Chinese five sprice instead of all spice
I have made this for years. It is always a winner and meal mates ask for the recipe.
So quick and easy to make. I didn't add raisins nor orange juice because of the extra carbs involved, but otherwise I followed the instructions as written. It turned out pretty good.
Stunning dish, perfect accompaniment to the lamb tagine. Definitely will be making this again, my family loved it.
This is a delicious recipe and really easy to cook, took very little preparation with amazing results.
I loved this recipe. I used brown rice rather than couscous for health reasons, but otherwise pretty much followed the recipe. I did use a little less zucchini than called for, but that was just for my own taste. I will definitely make it again.
Very, very tastey. An excellent addition to the lamb tagine. But too labor intensive for the impact of the dish. It does present beautifully.
This was great. Was a little bit concerned about all the flavors going into it, but we loved it. My husband said, "you can totally make this again". The orange juice really made it pop. I did substitute quinoa for the couscous. Loved the fresh mint at the end. Really brought the dish together. Can't wait for the leftovers. I served it with (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/218069/mediterranean-grilled-pork-chops/ ) pork chops. Really paired well together.
This is a really great recipe! My husband won't eat it because it doesn't contain meat, but my two year old loves it as much as I do. I cut the cloves and allspice in half for him and add an equivalent amount of curry powder. I could eat this for days!
Full Disclosure: I omitted the orange juice, zest and mint because I don't care for mint and I just didn't like the sound of the orange flavoring. Also, I used chickpeas because that's all I had and they're more or less the same thing. With that said, I really enjoyed the dish I ended up with. It's a bit dry alone but I think it would be great base to a lamb or beef tangine or other Middle Eastern-style meat stew. Thank you!
As noted by other reviewers, I went to Cost Plus and bought ras al hanout season blend. I used that instead of all of the other spices and it came out great. The only thing I would do differently is cut the veggies a bit smaller and more uniform. Other than that, the recipe is wonderful. It is fragrant and delicious. An amazing dish served with the Lamb Tagine and Cucumber Raita.
Good couscous (but I love the stuff anyways!)!!! Made half the suggested serving size to go with BenevolentEmpresse's lamb tagine. My bf even liked this (which surprises me because he HATES fruit of any kind as well as most beans). Goes to show you that everyting is worth a try at least once :) I didn't change a thing. Used a yellow bell pepper, but I think red or orange would be lovely (definitely not green IMHO). Served with a side of store-bought creamy cucumber dill salad and naan. Please note: I had to add a touch more broth to my couscous as I found it to be somewhat dry. An easy fix nonetheless. Oh, and you can whip this up in a breeze if you chop your veggies beforehand. Thanks for sharing!
I omitted the beans and the orange zest and it was still delicious. My husband prefers a plainer couscous with lamb tagine so next time I might try it with souvlaki or something like that. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Absolutely delicious with the addition of toasted sliced almonds and sweetened dried cranberries. I made it over a cookstove on a camping trip, and my friends were enormously impressed to be eating so well.
